General election in France

General election in France

The French general election shall take place on June, 10th and 17th 2012, to elect the 14th National Assembly of the 5th Republic, little over a month after the second round of the presidential election on May, 6th 2012.

The French Parliament consists of two assemblies, the National Assembly and the Senate. They sit in two distinct premises (the National Assembly in the Palais Bourbon and the Senate in the Palais du Luxembourg). M.P.s and Senators are national representatives : regardless of the constituency where they are elected, they each represent the entire nation.

The Senate is made up of 348 Senators, a maximum number allowed by article 24 of the Constitution, elected for six years by indirect universal suffrage by a college of approximately one hundred and fifty thousand grand electors (M.P.s. and representatives of local authorities). The Senate is renewed by half every three years.

The National Assembly is made up of 577 MPs, a maximum number allowed by article 24 of the Constitution, elected for a 5-year mandate by direct universal suffrage within single-member constituencies.